Steam joint



Patented Mar. 9, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STEAM JOINT Russell Carpenter, Three Rivers, Quebec, Canada Application January 8, 1942, Serial No. 426,061 In Canada December 13, 1941 Y 3 Claims.

This invention relates to steam joints used in connection with steam heated cylinders employed in paper making and in other industries. The principal object is the provision of an improved steam joint assembly which reduces loss of steam due to leakage and which imposes a substantially reduced dragging or braking eiect on the cylinder as compared with the steam joints now in use.

rOther objects, advantages and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of my improved steam joint assembly and shows the manner in which said assembly is attached to and supported by the journal of a steam heated cylinder.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 5 designates Ithe journal of a steam heated cylinder and 6 my improved steam joint assembly which is attached to and supported by said journal.

As here shown, the assembly 6 includes a tubular condensate receiving chamber 'I Xed to rotate with the journal 5 by means of flange 8 and stud bolts 9. The journal end of chamber 'I is open so that the condensate will pass freely into this chamber from the journal 5 to which the condensate is delivered by scoops or other conventional condensate removing means arranged within the cylinder proper. VThe opposite end of chamber 'I is partially closed by an -end wall ID provided with a central aperture I-I. A part ofthe aperture I I is screw-threaded as indicated at I Ia to receive therein the threaded-outer end of a pipe section I2 which extends inwardly through the journal 5 to the interior of the steam i heated cylinder. Pipe section I2 is aligned with a pipe section I3, the adjacent end of which is welded in place within the smooth portion Hb of aperture II. The pipe sections I2 and I3 conjointly provide a steam supply pipe through which steam is passed through the journal 5 to 'the interior of the steam heated cylinder, from whence the condensate is returned through the journal 5 to the condensate receiving chamber 7.

The chamber I is provided, adjacent the end wall IU, with a multiplicity of condensate outlet openings I4 through which the condensate passes into a stationary annular casing I5 provided with a main condensate outlet I6. The portion of chamber 'I which extends into casing I5 rotates in contact with a curved plate I'I which prevents escape of steam and condensate through the openings I4 until the latter are rotated to or approximately to a position opposite the condensate outlet I6.

As shown in Fig. 2, the plate I'I extends around practically three-fourths the circumference of the chamber 1. 'I'he cylinder side of casing I5 is -provided with an opening I8 for the passage of chamber 1 and leakage -through this opening is prevented by packing I9 which is contained in the -stuing box extension 20 of casing I5 and is come pressed by a gland 2I which is fastened to the stuffing boX 20 by stud bolts 22. The side of casing I5 remote from journal 5 is provided with an opening 24 for the passage of pipe Section I3 and leakage through this opening is prevented by packing 25 which is arranged in a second stuing boX extension 26 of casing I5, said packing being compressed by a gland -21 fastened to -stuil'ing lbox 26 by stud bolts 28. Casing I 5 is lfastened by stud bolts 30 to one side of a bearing casting 3|. The opposite side of casting 3I is fastened by stud bolts 32 to a stationary steam inlet casing 33 provided with a main steam inlet 35. Opposite walls of the casing 33 are provided with openings 36 and 31 through which the pipe section I3 :extends, the outer end of said pipe section vbeing closed and provided with a journal extension 38 which is rotatably supported by means ofa double thrust anti-friction bearing 39 contained within a bearing housing 40 which is formed integral with casing 33 and is closed at its .outer end by a removable cap member 4I secured in place by stud bolts 4 Ia.

Leakage through the openings 36 and 31 of casing 33 is prevented by suitable packing 43 and 44 which is arranged in the stuing box ex.- tensions 45 and 46 of said casing, said .packing being placed under compression by the .gland members 4'! and 48 which are fastened to the siufng boxes 45 and .46 by stud bolts 4.3 and 5 The bearing housing 4D of .casing `33 is provided with an inner end wall 5I which-lits between the anti-friction bearing 39 and a shoulder 52 provided at the inner end of the journal 38. The bearing 39 is clamped against the wall 5I by a clamping nut l5Ia which is threaded onto the outer end of journal 38.

A further anti-friction bearing 53 is provided between the casting 3l and the portion of pipe section I3 which passes through said casting. The bearing 53 comprises anti-friction balls 54 arranged between an inner race 55 encircling the pipe section I3 and an outer race 56 which`is l,described herein opposses steam heated cylinder to 2 arranged within an inwardly directed annular rib extension 51 of casting 3|. The inner race 55 is clamped in place between a shoulder I3a of pipe section I3 and a clamping nut I3b. A slight clearance is reserved between the rib eX- tension 51 so that the bearing 53, as a whole, is free to move relatively to said rib extension in response to expansion and contraction of pipe section I3. n Y

'I'he portion of pipe section I3 which lies between openings 35 and 31 of steam supply casing 33 is provided with a multiplicity of relatively small steam inlet openings I3' through which steam passes tion I3 I2 to the interior of the steam heated cylinder.

from the casing 33 into pipeA secand from thence through pipe section`V of spaced apart, stationary casings, a rotary condensate receiving chamber communicating with one of said casings, a rotary steam supply pipe passing through both of said casings and through said condensate receiving chamber, said pipe communicating with the other of said casings to receive steam therefrom, means for attaching said assembly to said journal whereby rotation of the journal results in relative rotation between the condensate receiving chamber and the steam supply pipe on the one hand and the aforesaid casings on the other hand and a bearing casting interposed between and support- From the foregoing description it will be ap- I parent that the condensate receiving chamber 1 and the pipe sections I2 and I3 rotate with the journal 5 and relatively to casing I5, casting 3I and casing 33. The steam suppliedy to casing 33 through inlet 35 passes into the rotating pipe section I3 through the steam inlet openings i351l thereof and is thus delivered through pipe sections I3 and I2 to the interior of the steam heatedcylinder. The condensate accumulating withinthe interior of said cylinder is picked up by scoops or other conventional condensate removing means and delivered to the inner end ,of journal 5 so that it flows outwardly through this journal to theA rotating condensate receiving chamber 1 and escapes through the outlets I4 as the latter are rotated to a position below the ends of the plate I1 arranged in the condensate outlet casing I5. The bearings 39 and 53 serve as supporting and aligning bearings which preventsagging of the pipe section I3 and holds it in true alignment with the pipe section I2. The packing contained within the packing boxes 20, 26, 43 and M'may be compressed sufficiently to prevent leakage without offering excessive drag or brake resistance to the rotation of the condensate receiving chamber 1 and the pipe sections I2 and I3 which are xed to rotate with lthe journal 5. In practice it has been found that the resistance which the steam joint assembly to rotation of the which it is connected i'ssubstantially less than that imposed by the ball and socket and various other types of steam joints now in use.

Another advantage of the assembly described herein 'is that leakage of steam is reduced to a minimum as compared with theleakage characteristic vof other types of steam joints.

Having thus described what I now consider to -be the preferred embodiment of this invention 'it :will be understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope and spiritY of the appended claims.

Having thus described claim is:

1-. A steam joint assembly adapted to be at- -tached to a hollow rotary journal of a steam heated cylinder, said assembly comprising a pair my invention, what I ed by said casings,

said bearing casting serving to support the portion of the steam supply pipe lying between said casings.

" 2. A steam joint assembly adapted to be atl tached to a hollow rotary journal of a steam heated cylinder, said assembly comprising a tubular condensate receiving chamber having one end fastened to said journal so that the interior of 'said chamber is placed in communication with the interior of the cylinder through said journal, said casing being secured to said journal so as to rotate therewith, a pipe extending through an opening at the opposite end ofsaid chamber and through said journal, said pipe being fixed to rotate with said chamber and said journal, a stationary casing surrounding a portionof said chamber and an adjacent portion of said pipe, the portion of the chamber surrounded by said casing being provided with condensate outlet openings placing the interior of said chamber in communication with said casing, packing interposed between said casing and said chamber and between said casing and the portion of the pipe surrounded thereby, a second stationary casing through casing being spaced from said first mentioned casing in the longitudinal direction of the pipe, the portion of the pipe passing through s aid second casing being provided with steam inlet openings, packing arranged to seal the openings of the second casing through which said pipe extends, means for supplying steam to said second casing, and a casting arranged between and supported by said casings and an anti-friction bearing interposed between said casting and the portion of the pipe passing therethrough.

3. A steam joint assembly comprising a pair of stationary casings fastened to opposite sides of an interposed bearing casting, a steam supply pipe passing through both of said -casings and through said bearing casting, pipe supporting bearing means interposed between said bearing casing and the portion of the pipe passing therethrough, one end of said pipe being closedv and journalled in a bearing housing supported by one of said casings, a portion of the pipe passing through one of said casings being provided with apertures whereby the Vinterior of said pipe is placed in communication with the interior of said casing to receive steam therethrough.

RUSSELL CARPENTER.

which said pipe extends, said secondV 

